Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-09

a landing ana Dullh SOME hluu vi
protection for defense. According
ly they effected landing on what
is now Captain Woolfolk's ranch,
one mile below the present post
Office of Etchetah. Here they
felled trees, and after weeks OF
labor built fort 22j feet square,
which they named Fort Pease, in
honor OF Major PeaSe, one of the
most prominent Outftters Of the
expedition. This fort when com
pleted was one of the strongest
fortresses in Montana, and saved
this gallant little band from ami
hilation, as we'll as serving to
arouse the Sioux in most bloody
conflict.
For two days or more from the
commencement of the erection OF
the fort the Indians were apparent
ly nonplussed with surprise at ;he
boldness of the aggressors landing
on their reservation. Still, they
refralned during this time from
molesting the party of whites
After that, however, for weeks,
and even months, the garrison was
in a constant state of siege, a
portion of the inmates acting az
sentries or skirmishers on the out
skirts, while the balance built
walls and blcck-hOuses, digging
pits and trenches until the fort was
completed. 1t was strongly bullt,
being surrounded by high stock.
ade of timber, and having block
houses and covered ways in the in
terror. Besides a full supply of the
most modern firearms, the pioneers
had also brought along with them
a small six.pound cannon. The
latter, however, vas of but little
practical service, except to make a
noise and waste gunpowder. After
being beSieged in Fort Pease for
somc time it became evident to our
adventurers that further supplies
of provisions, etc, would be neces-
sary to hold out against the be-
siegers, and it was therefore, deem
ed important that some one of these
daring pioneers should volunteerto
run the gauntlet, and secure not
only an ample supply of provisions
and ammunition, but reinforce
ments also. 1t was three hundred
miles to Bozeman, the nearest
place of relief, and over a lonely,
wild country infested with savages,
but Paul Mccormick cheerfully
volunteered to make the dangerous
trip alone. Leaving the fort by
dusk, and travelling mostly by
night, in ten days he was at Boze-
man, and secured not only plenty
of necessaries for the garrison, but
organized quite a little company OF
recruits, and with the stealth OF
wild animals, they slipped down
the river, and succeeded IN gaining
the fort without any loss. Soon
after it was found necessary that
another trip should be made, and
again Mccormick passed through
the Indian line alone, and returned
again in safety. Then he at various
times slipped out of the fort by
night, and, after killing deer or
an elk the next day at some great
distance off, would return in the
same manner, to supply the inmates
with fresh venisOn. So daring
we're his feats that his companions
had concluded that he was in re-
ality lnsensible to fear.
1t would take a very large vol.
ume to relate all the experiences OF
this brave little band of heroes and
commemorate their many suffering'
and priyatiOns, and how that thelT
heroism, reaching Washington, en-.
listed the sympathies Of the govern
ment, which at once despatched
thither troops and rescued them,
and eventually, at later period,
brought about termination of the
Sioux war, resulting in the opening
up for settlement by the whites the
entire Yellowstone country.
One evening after nearly a weeks
cessation of firing by the indians
on Fort Pease, and none of them
having been seen in the vicinity o.
the fort for days, Mccormick told
somo of his companions that he pro
posed to venture out early in the
morning on horseback and ascer
tain if there were really any In
dams still in that locality. Hi'
friends warned him of the danger
but he secuted their warnings and
persisted so determinedly that they
gave lp in despair, lntimating tha'
they would never see him agar
alive.
True to his determination, thC
next morning found him ready fol
the trip. One of his comrades, re
aIlzlng the risk Mccormick would
undergo alone, volunteered to ac
company him, and at the first ap
proach of daylight the gate wa
opened and the two horsemen quiet
ly departed, the ominous warning
of their companions still ringing il
their ears. Proceeding up and dOwI
the valley, which is here a wild bot
tom, they failed to discern thl